Scents
by Aleithria
Summary: After being attacked and dropped down a well, Liam seeks comfort in his alpha. One-shot. Pack fluffiness. No slash.


Hello everyone! This was one of those plot bunnies that I knew was gonna be a one-shot and had to nip right in the bud. This was an idea suggested by space-chase on tumblr; some platonic pack fluff, and so I decided to make it happen. :) Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The night was chilly, but he didn't seem to feel it. He barely felt the pavement beneath his bare feet as he ran. His mind was swimming with more smells and sounds than he could possibly hope to process.

It was strange; suddenly gaining such sensitivity. Suddenly, he knew his stepfather's scent as though he had been aware of it his entire life. His mother's smell was calming and warm. And even though he was enveloped in such smells, he couldn't force himself into sleep. He hadn't even bothered to put on shoes. He had sneaked out his window in sweats and a tank top.

The window of his destination was open and it puzzled him. Wasn't the mountain ash barrier only effective if the house was sealed? He heaved himself onto the roof beside the opening and peered through. The scent inside was like a warm blanket that embraced him, and the tension that had plagued him for days began to slowly leak from his muscles. He felt... safe. He wanted to curl up in the scent and stay there until the fearful thoughts in his mind fell from memory.

"Does your dad know where you are right now?"

Liam almost fell back off the roof at the sound of Scott's groggy voice. He caught himself and froze where he stood as though he could just simply vanish if he held still. After a long moment, he sighed. "It's two in the morning and my dad's an ER doctor: he's at work."

Scott's bed was pushed up against the window and Liam could see him roll over onto his stomach and crane his neck up to look at him. "And your mom?"

Liam shrugged. "She works early. She's been in bed for hours." Scott rolled his eyes with a little smirk and bobbed his head inward, granting the beta access. Liam hopped across the bed and settled himself in the armchair in the corner. "How'd you know I was here?" he asked quietly.

Scott sat up with a yawn and absently scratched his bare chest. "I could smell and hear you from around the corner," he answered. "To a werewolf, you're pretty apparent." Even in his groggy state, Scott could see Liam stiffen at his words.

The younger wolf raised an eyebrow, though fairly invisible in the darkened room. "You don't sound surprised that I came."

Scott nodded toward the window. "Why do you think it was open?" Liam suddenly began studying the carpet beneath his feet, his hands fidgeting anxiously. With another little yawn, Scott spoke. "What's on your mind?"

It took Liam a few moments to answer. "I... haven't been sleeping."

"I can tell," said Scott, motioning vaguely at the beta's face. There were dark circles under his bloodshot eyes and his posture sagged under his fatigue.

"Not since... the well thing," said Liam, gently massaging his hand where he had sliced it open after falling. The skin was smooth and healed now, but the sight of yellow puss bubbling up from the wound wasn't one he would soon forget- punctuated by the accompanying fear of being poisoned and never being found. He looked up at Scott. "If you hadn't found me..." he trailed off.

Scott seemed more awake now and he motioned to the beta. "Well, that's what the howl is for. No matter where you are, if you howl, I'll hear you."

Liam laughed mirthlessly. "I was just frustrated. I didn't even try to howl, really." He began to examine his hands, turning them over before his eyes and he sighed. "How is it... that I have claws that can pierce metal... super strength and speed... I even have fangs and I'm..." He growled under his breath. "I'm just so..." The word caught in his throat and he couldn't seem to force it past his lips no matter how hard he tried.

"You're scared," finished Scott. Liam met his eyes with a fierce glare, as though offended by the suggestion, but Scott didn't seem bothered. "It's okay to be scared, Liam." His eyes wandered to the window and he sighed. "Hell, _I'm_ scared." Liam's expression softened a fraction and Scott smiled at him with something that looked a bit like pride. "But you're handling it better than I ever did." The freshman raised an eyebrow at him and the alpha chuckled. "No joke. Sometime, you should ask Stiles what I was like for the first few months after I was bitten."

"Did you have a bunch of assassins after you?" he asked in a tone he was ashamed to admit sounded belligerent.

Again, Scott didn't seem to mind. "Sort of," he frowned a little at the memory. "There was a family of hunters that lived here; the Argents. Werewolf hunters." He tapped the inside of his right forearm. "Skewered me with a crossbow bolt the first night I turned."

Liam paused for a moment, blinked, and then said, "As in Chris Argent? The guy you called back from France?" The alpha nodded. "I thought he was an old family friend or something. He treats you like his son."

Scott smiled fondly and shrugged. "Long story." He looked up and met Liam's eyes. "Not one for tonight... but... one I'll tell you eventually."

And Liam found that he wanted to hear it. If a family of hunters had lived here- seeking to kill him- perhaps understanding how he had survived would put him at ease a little. Not that it would help tonight, though.

Liam tried to smile, but found his facial muscles not really up to task at the moment. There had been a question on his mind since he arrived, but couldn't quite figure out how to word it. After a few moments of silence, he blurted, "Why do you smell like that?" instantly realizing how much more sensible it had sounded in his head.

Scott straightened at the question, his face clearly communicating he had no idea how to answer. "Huh? Smell like what?"

The beta looked around the room, as though searching for another source of the scent, but could find no other. It was a smell that lay beneath the shampoo and body wash from a recent shower, one that his belongings were covered in. "You smell like..." he searched for words. There wasn't an existing scent that it resembled... it was the feelings the smell invoked. "You smell like family."

Scott smirked a little. "Derek mentioned this. In a way, we are kin, so it makes sense. Your scent changed after the bite, too." He paused. "Derek said that an alpha's scent is supposed to have a number of affects on the betas in their pack. Invigorate them when working as a team, rally them when taking down an enemy..." he paused and gave Liam a sideways glance. "And calm them when they are upset."

Liam's eyes glued to the carpet again. "I'm not upset," he insisted with an animalistic growl.

Scott stood with a roll of his eyes. "You ran here barefoot, Liam," he said, moving over toward a tall white basket by the door. He began shifting through the cloth that was bundled up inside and tossed a few items over his shoulder and onto the bed, dropping others onto the floor around the door. "My alpha was a psychopathic killer, so I don't really know first-hand about this whole scent thing." After emptying about half the basket, he seemed satisfied and moved to the bed, sorting through a few things. "But Derek did give me a suggestion and... however strange it may seem, might as well give it a try before you start passing out in class." Liam leaned forward in the chair a little as Scott started a smaller pile off to the side. After tossing in four or five things, he collected the fabric and held it out to the beta. "Here."

Liam eyed the bundle and sent the alpha a skeptical look. "What's this?"

"You don't have to take them, but Derek said it might help calm you down." At Liam's continued side-eye, Scott sighed. "He figured that with how fast things have been happening, you might be having some troubles." He began to unravel the cloth a little, displaying one of the items. "A few of my worn shirts from the last couple of days." Liam blinked at him as though he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "They have my scent on them, and it should be at least enough to let you sleep."

The idea was absurd, but Liam found himself taking the clothes and tucking them under his arm. "This is so weird," he mused.

Scott chuckled. "Yeah... for humans anyway. But, not for werewolves apparently. Derek told me that his mother had to constantly buy new clothes because her betas and her kids would take hers from the laundry to sleep with... and then lose them."

At last, Liam's face succumbed to a smile- albeit one that faded very quickly- and he looked down at the clothes. However strange the entire situation was, Liam found the offering of his clothing to be oddly comforting.

A thought occurred to him and he turned wide eyes on his alpha, but Scott seemed to almost read his mind and laughed. "Derek also said that he wouldn't tell anyone that I would possibly be giving you some of my clothes and I promise I won't tell anyone either."

Liam let out a breath of relief. "I don't want to seem ungrateful. It's just..."

The older werewolf waved a hand blithely. "Oh don't worry. It is very weird."

He stared at the shirts under his arm for a long moment before jumping a little when Scott's hands appeared on his shoulders. He met the alpha's eyes, which were suddenly serious.

"Liam... I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm taking a few hints from Derek and going on instinct here, but I need you to understand something, alright?" The beta swallowed hard and nodded as though bracing himself for bad news. "Biting you wasn't something I intended; living as a werewolf is dangerous even without the hit list. But it happened, and I am not going to let anything happen to you." He straightened a little, and his eyes turned red as he spoke. The beta could feel his own eyes burn in response, and their dim glow illuminated Scott's face just a little. "I am your alpha, and it is my job to protect you." As the glow faded, he gave a tired smile. "Now go home and get some rest."

Scott's arms enveloped him and Liam surprised himself by returning the hug. It was automatic- like embracing a brother or cousin. They stayed like that for a long moment, Liam's chin pressed against the alpha's collarbone and Scott's jaw resting on the beta's head.

With one of Scott's shirts tucked under his pillow and the rest stored under his bed, Liam lay down and was asleep almost instantly.


End file.
